News and advertisement exhibiting



April 1937' A. A. JOHNSON 2,076,029

NEWS AND ADVERTISEMENT EXHIBITING Filed July 27, 1935 2 Sheets-Sheet l JNVENTOR April 6, 1937.

..ooooooao A. A. JQHNSON 2,076,029

NEWS AND ADVERTISEMENT EXHIBITING' Filed July 27, 1935 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR 5 printing continuous strips,

Patented Apr. 6, 1937 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE 2,076,029 NEWS AND ADVERTISEMENT EXHIBITING Arthur A. Johnson, Bridgeport, Conn. Application July 2'1, 1935, Serial No. 33,449

23 Claims.

This invention relates to the art of presenting at intervals aseries of prearranged advertisements or other displays for exhibition and alternately therewith news items or other matter 5 written at the time or just previous to its exhibition. The writing of the news items may be controlled and performed by a person at the place of exhibition, but usually the writing is done on an electrically operated typewriter telegraphically controlled, and hence operable from a remote point. In fact, many such typewriters at widely separated places may be simultaneously operated from a single point.

In such exhibiting machines as heretofore provided, the news items were typewritten on a continuous web or strip of paper having alternate advertising and writing zones thereon, the advertising being previously printed on the strips and the writing zone being usually left entirely blank. The strip is fed through the telegraphic typewriter and advanced line-by-line as the news items are written on it. A reflectoscope is placed in front of the typewriter to pick up and show on a suitably placed screen the matter typewrit- 5 ten on the strip. After the audience has had time to read the news items, the strip is advanced to bring the advertisement printed thereon into range of the reflectoscope and allowed to remain there as long as desired, usually for a predeter- 5 0 mined time.

With this arrangement, the number of different advertisements which may be exhibited is extremely limited, for, with the printing equipment available at present which is capable of it is not possible to repeatedly print on the strip more than two or three advertisements of desired size alternated with writing spaces or zones of suitable size because of the limited feeding throw and limited printing area of the cylinders or platens.

If the advertisements were to be printed in one color, by increasing the feeding throw of the press and using multiple cylinders or bed, the number of different advertisements printed could be increased somewhat. However, in order that the advertisement may be effective, it is desired that it be printed in colors and in the characteristic colors usually used by the advertisers.

It is desired to avoid the limitation of the use 50 of such exhibiting machines above referred to and to permit any desired number of different advertisements to be used in a series and to per- .mit these to be economically and conveniently printed by existing machinery in any desired colors and any desired number of diiierent colors.

This is accomplished in the application of Carl W. Brenn, filed January 31, 1935, Serial No. 4,224, by providing the advertisement on a web or strip separate and independent of the writing strip, causing the latter to be superimposed on the former on the platen of the typewriter and arranging the strip so that the portions of the under strips which are to be viewed will be visible through the upper strip. The advertising strip has its ends united to form an endless band so as to repeatedly present successive portions thereof to view.

An object of this invention is to provide means whereby the display band and the writing strip may advance together during the writing of the news item and the display band alone advanced to bring a new advertisement into position to be shown independently of the writing strip and between the operations of typing successive news items.

A further object of this invention is to prevent operation of the type mechanism while an advertisement area on the display band is in the line of writing of the typewriter platen, thereby avoiding even partial obliteration of the display by typewriting thereon.

Another object of this invention is to provide means whereby the display band may be allowed to remain in a stationary position during the typewriting of a news item so that after the completion of the typewriting the display band may be advanced to bring a new advertisement into view without advancing the writing strip.

In either arrangement above referred to, the feeding of the writing strip and master band may be controlled entirely from a remote point so that the band and strip may be fed together or separately as desired. However, means are provided by the present invention whereby the feeding of either the band or strip or the band and strip may be automatically controlled by the typewriting machine so that when the writing strip and. display band have been advanced a predetermined amount (the length of the maximum news item) the feed mechanism for the writing strip is rendered inoperative while the feed mechanism for the display band continues to operate.

In the first form of the invention above referred to, the means may be so arranged that when the writing strip has advanced independently of the display hand one form length, i. e. the length of the maximum news item, the feeding of the writing strip ceases and the feeding of the display band begins and continues until the next display is moved into position to be shown.

' of feed device wherein display band is According to the broader aspects of this invention, any suitable means may be used for rendering the typing mechanism inoperative while the advertisement or other display is in such position that it would be printed upon by the types.

In one form of this invention, this is accomplished by providing means mechanically synchronized with the platen and feed mechanisms of the machine for rendering the typewriting mechanism inoperative.

Other features and advantages will hereinafter appear.

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure l is a perspective view showing the continuous display band of the present invention with the writing strip located between the band and the platen.

Fig. 2 is a schematic view showing the mecha nism for advancing the display band and the writing strip and controlling the intermittent feed of these selectively.

Fig. 3 is a side view of the arrangement. shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is a. schematic view of a modified form the writing strip and display band are for the most part fed alternately, the one strip beginning to feed at a predetermined time when the other strip stops feeding.

Fig. 5 shows diagrammatically an arrangement for synchronizing all of the receiving machines.

In the embodiment of this invention illustrated in Figs. 1, 2 and 3, the writing strip I is led from a supply pack it over a-guiding and tensioning drum l2 and thence over a turning bar l3 so as to extend forwardly and around aplaten i l mounted on a shaft The writing strip extends upwardly over a display table IS and over a guide drum i2 where it extends rearwardly, then over a turning bar l8 from which it extends laterally to a feed drum is mounted on a shaft 28.

Superimposed over the writing strip l0 while the latter is on the platen and on the display table there is-a display band 2|. 'Ihisband has its ends joined so as to be continuous and passes around the platen l4 upwardly over the display table, then rearwardly over a guide roller 22, then downwardly over a guide roller 23, and then forwardly over a guide roller 24 from which it is led to the platen.

In order to maintain the writing strip t0 and the display band 2! in coordination with the platen and feeding mechanism. the writing strip is provided with marginal feed holes 25 and the provided with marginal feed holes 26, and the feeding drum I9 is provided with feed pins 2? for engaging and feeding the writing strip while the platen i4 is provided with feeding pins 28 for feeding the display band 2i. The writing strip It is made suificiently narrower than the display band 2! so that itslateral edges will pass inside of the rows of pins 28 on the platen. Hence, the writing strip will not be' fed bythe platen but only by the feedingdrum [9.

To tension the writing strip when it is supplied from a zigzag folded pack as shown, the roller i2 is provided with-pins 29, and the roller is pro- Vided with a brake drum 30- engaged by a spring 3!, toyieldingly retard rotation of the drum and hence provide a drag on the writing strip.

To advance the display band, the platen is provided with a ratchet wheel 32 secured to the shaft 15, and, in the form of the invention herein shown as exemplary thereof, is operated by a pawl 33 on an arm 34 connected by a link 35 to an armature 36 of a solenoid 37. The rocking movement of the arm 34 is limited by a stop screw 38 engaging an extension 39 on the arm 34 so that at each operation of the solenoid 3'! the platen is rotated a predetermined amount. By adjusting the stop screw 38, the amount of movement of the platen may be limited to one line space, or it may be varied to advance the platen two or more line spaces if desired, and this is desirable where, as above stated, the display band is advanced independently of the writing strip.

The writing strip is likewise fed by a pawl and ratchet mechanism, the shaft 20 for the feeding provided with a ratchet wheel 40 embodiment of the invention illustrated herein as exemplary thereof, is operated by a pawl 4| on an arm 42 connected by a link 43 to an armature 44 of a solenoid 45. The extent of' movement of the arm 4| is controlled by a stop screw 46 engaging an extension 4'! on the arm 42.

t should be understood, of course, that other means for mechanically advancing the writing strip and display band may be employed if desired.

As diagrammatically illustrated, the display band 21 is provided with a succession of adverin order that the news items may be typewritten upon the writing strip 10 as by types 49 in spite of the overlying display band 2|, the latter is provided with cut-outs or windows 53 alternating with the advertisements 48.

As the display band is fed, the windows 50 are brought successively to the position shown in Fig. l in which it exposes the writing strip so that the latter may be typewritten upon. If, as may be desired, the writing strip l0 and display band 2| are advanced in unison, the typewriting of a news item, for instance, may be continued on the writing strip until the bottom edge of the Window 5! reaches the writing line, during which time the advertisement 48 is located on the display table to be shown. At this position, the strips may continue to be advanced in unison until the next advertisement is brought into position. to be shown and its next adjacent window is located over the writing line of the platen. However, this would necessitate the wasting of portions of the writing strip equivalent to the area covered by the advertisements 48, and to avoid this the present invention provides for advancing the display band independently of the writing strip.

In the form of the invention shown in Figs. 1 to 3, the writing strip and display band are advanced together during the writing of a news item on the writing strip, and this may be accomplished by connecting the solenoids 37 and to supply wires 5| and 5m and connecting them in series by a wire 52 so that each time the solenoid 37 operates, the solenoid 45 operates when typewriting. When the bottom edge of the window approaches the writing line, however, in this form of the invention the feeding of the writing strip is interrupted and impulses transmitted over the wires 54 and 5| a advance only the display band.

This is shown in the form of the invention illustrated in Figs. 1 to 3 by shunting out the solenoid 45 and it is accomplished automatically and without attention on the part of the operator by a controller 53, see Fig. 2, connected to the platen shaft [5 by gears 54 and 55. The ratio of these gears is such that the controller makes one which, in the complete revolution during the feeding of one advertisement 48 plus one window 50. One-half of the face of the controller has insulation 56 while the other half has a metal segment 51, and resting against the face of the controller are three brushes 58, 59 and G0, the brush 58 being connected to the point where the wires 5| connect with the solenoid and the brush 59 being connected to the wire 52 which connects the solenoids 3'! and 45 together in series. Thus, when the brushes 59 and 60 both engage the metal portion 51 of the controller, current passing from the line 5| is shunted around the solenoid 45 and passes directly through the controller to the solenoid 31, thereby rendering the solenoid 45 and the feed mechanism for the writing strip inoperative. The parts are shown in Fig. 2 in the positions which they occupy just at the time that the lower edge of the window approaches the writing line. At this time, in the form of the invention now being described, the writing strip remains stationary and the display band advances alone.

Thus shunting out of the writing paper feed solenoid 45 continues until the upper edge of the next window 50 has passed beyond the writing line of the platen.

At the same time, through the brush 59, metal segment 51 and brush 60, current passes to a relay which looks out or renders inoperative the printing mechanism of the machine so that typewriting cannot be performed during the time that the display or advertisement portion of the band 2| is located in writing position on the platen, it being understood, of course, that the line 5| is permanently connected to one side of the source of current while the relay or other means which looks out the printing mechanism is connected to the other side of the source of current.

The predetermined extent of feed of the writing strip may be anything desired, but in the "form shown, the extent of feed of the display band should be equal to one display zone plus one window.

This is accomplished as shown in Fig. 4 by providing separate controllers 65 and 66 for the display band 2| and writing strips Ill respectively. The controller for the display band comprises a contact disk 61 and is geared to the platen [4 in such a way that the disk makes one revolution when the platen has rotated sufilciently to ad- Vance the display band one form-length, that is the length of one display area and one window, while the controller 68 is geared to the feed drum is for the writing strip so that it will make one revolution when the writing strip has advanced the extent equal to the length of the maximum area occupied by the longest news item. This may be as long as the window or shorter or longer if desired, since the display band is stationary while the news item is being printed.

The display band controller has a metal face 61a interrupted at one point by an insulat ing portion 68, and riding on the face 610. there is a contact 69 connected by a wire Hi to the solenoid 3'! which advances the display band. Another brush rides on the shaft ll of the controller and this is connected to a wire 12 leading from the contactor which is operated when it is desired to advance either the band or the strip. The other wire l3 from the contactor is connected to the solenoid 45, and hence when current passes through the wires 12 and I3, and the contact 69 is on the face 61a of the controller 65, the solenoid 31 is operated and the display band is advanced.

When the display band has been advanced to a predetermined point, the insulator 68 engages the contact 69 and opens the circuit and renders the advancing means for the display band inoperative.

The controller 65 for the writing strip also has a metal face 15, an insulation portion 15, brush 11 on the face 15, and a shaft-brush on the controller shaft, which is connected to the wire 12 to which the shaft-brush of the display band controller is connected. The brush 11, however, is connected by a wire 18 to the solenoid 45 which operates the feed drum for the writing strip, the solenoid 45 being connected to the wire 13 leading from the line spacing contactor (not shown). Hence, the feeding of the writing strip ceases when the brush i1 rides on the insulation 16.

To cause the feeding of the display band to be resumed upon cessation of feed of the writing strip, the controller for the latter is provided with a contact 19 in position to engage a brush at the last line of writing of the news item. This brush 80 is connected to the wire it] leading to the solenoid 31 of the feeding mechanism for the display band, so that the next time current flows through the wires 12 and 13 both the display band and the writing strip will. be advanced one line space and their controllers will be moved one step, bringing the insulation 16 on the writing strip controller under the brush 1'! and moving the insulation 68 on the display band from under the brush 59, shifting the connections of the wires 12 from the solenoid 45 for the writing strip to the sole noid 31 for the display band.

Likewise, the display band controller has a contact SI and a brush 82 connected to the wire T8 of the writing strip solenoid 45 so that it will cause the feed of the writing strip to be initiated just before cessation of feed of the display band.

When, as is usual, a number of machines are controlled from. a single sending machine located at a remote point, there is a possibility that the various machines may be out of synchro nism. This could be caused by the supply current being cut off at the receiving machine at some time during its operation and might cause the display band being left with a display at the line of writing at one receiving machine while at the others and at the sending machine, the display may be out of the line of writing and in position to permit typewriting on the writing strip. The result would be that the type mechanism would print on the display area and obliterate or spoil the appearance of the display.

This is avoided in the form of the invention shown in Figs. 1 to 3 by preventing printing at such times.

However, the present invention provides means whereby the sending machine operator may bring the display bands of all the receiving machines to one predetermined and known starting position, and this may be done at the start of the day or periodically or at any time desired.

To accomplish this, the contaotors of the sending and receiving machines are so arranged that by operating a special key a synchronizing circuit comprising wires 83 and 84 (Fig. 5) is energized. The wire 34 is connected to the sole-- noid 31, for the display band feeding machine, while the other wire 83 is connected by a wire 85 to a contact finger 86 over a contact bar 81 advancing the display band and writing strip and which is connected by a wire 33 through the means for causing both said feed mechanisms to wire 52 and solenoid 31' to the opposite side of Operate together. the synchronizing circuit. 7. The invention as defined in claim 1 in which 5 The contact bar 87 and the contact finger 86 there are provided separate feed mechanisms for are normally connected by the display band advancing the display band and writing strip and which, in this case, is made of metal, and hence means for causing both said feed mechanisms to when the impulses are sent over the wires 83 operate together when the news item is being and 84 the eleotromagnet 37 will be energized written and only the feed mechanism for the disto advance the writing strip and display band play band when the display area on the display step-by-step without regard to the position of band is being advanced past the line of writing the contact 59 with relation to the controller of the platen. contact or the insulation 55, the latter being 8. The invention as defined in claim 1 in which arranged substantially as shown in Fig. 2 exthere are provided separate feed mechanisms for cept that the contact 68, which in Fig. 2 is emadvancing the display band and writing strip ployed to lock the printing mechanism at cerand means for causing both said feed mechanisms tain times, is not required in the form of the to operate together when the news item is being invention now being described. written and only the feed mechanism for the This advancement of the writing strip and display band when the display area on the dis- 530 display band will continue in all the machines play band is being advanced past the line of connected to the sending machine until the diswriting of the platen, said means being controlled play bands on the respective machines reach a by the platen. predetermined starting position. This is con- 9. The invention as defined in claim 1 in which trolled by a piece of insulation 89 on the metal there are provided separate feed mechanisms for 86 and the contact bar 81. When the display means for causing both said feed mechanisms to band of one of the machines reaches the posioperate together when the news item is being tion where the insulation is interposed bewritten and only the feed mechanism for the tween the contact finger and the contact bar display band when the display area on the dis- 8'1, the synchronizing circuit to that machine play band is being advanced past the line of is opened, and further impulses will have no writing of the platen, said means being correlated efiect on advancing that display band. with movement of the display band.

Thus it will be seen that if impulses are sent 10. The invention as defined in claim 1 in which over the synchronizing circuit sufficient to adthere is provided means for rendering the type Vance the display band and writing strip mechanism inoperative when a display area on through one form length, i. e. a length including the display band is being advanced past the line the display area and the writing area in of writing of the platen.

machine, the display band and the writing wrip 11. The invention as defined in claim 1 in which will advance until they come to a predetermined there is provided means for rendering the type definite position. mechanism inoperative when a display area on Variations and modifications be made the display band is being advanced past the line within the scope of this invention and portions of writing of the platen, said means being conor" the improvements may be used without trolled by the typewriter platen. others. 12. The invention as defined in claim 1 in which Having thus described the invention, what is there is provided means for rendering the type claimed as new and for which it is desired to mechanism inoperative when a display area on obtain Letters Patent, is: the display band is being advanced past the line 1. In a machine of the character described, the of writing of the platen, said means being concombination of an endless display band for holdtrolled by movement of the display band.

ing for exhibition, one at a time, a plurality of 13. The invention according to claim 1, in advertisements; a writing strip; type mechanism; which there is feed mechanism for advancing the a platen over which said writing strip is advanced display band independently of the writing strip, to receive impressions from said type mechanism and means responsive to alterations of the display to be exhibited, said display band being led band for automatically rendering the said adn the platen d being p p e o a d vancing means inoperative when the display band Writing strip at the platen and havi g Wi ow has been brought to predetermined position relathrough which the type mechanism may reach give t th m t and strike the writing strip carried by the platen 14 Th i ti according t laim 1, in 0 print WS items theleonwhich there is feed mechanism for advancing the 2. The invention as defined in claim 1 in whic display band independently of the writing strip, the windows are of substantial size so that a news and means respgngive t summations of the 1 item of several lines may be displayed through play band f r automaticany rendering the Said a WifldOW- advancing means inoperative when the display The invention as definedl'n 91mm 1 in Which band has been brought to a position in which the theme-y bend and Writing Strip each has a a portion of a window in the display band is Sepai feed mechanism 50 that the one may be located in the line of writing of the platen. edva d Without the Othell 15. The invention according to claim 1, having he invention 35 defined in Claim 1 in which feed mechanism for advancing the writing strips a feed mechanism is provided to advance the disd display b d and means responsive to altemp y a independently of the Writing Striptions of the display hand for rendering said 5. The invention as defined in claim 1 in which feeding means inoperative to advance the display a feed mechanism is provided to advance the band when the latter has been brought to a predewriting strip independently of the display band. termined position relative to the platen.

6. The invention as defined in claim 1 in which 16. The invention according to claim 1, having there are provided separate feed mechanisms for feed mechanism for advancing the writing strips display band located between the contact finger advancing the display band and writing strip and and display band, and means responsive to alterations of the display band for rendering said feeding means inoperative to advance the display band when the latter has been brought to a predetermined position relative to the platen feed mechanism for advancing the writing strip and display band, and means responsive to alterations of the display band for rendering said feeding means inoperative to advance the display band when the latter has been brought to predeter-' mined position relative to the platen.

17. The invention according to claim 1, having independent feed mechanism for advancing the writing strip and display band respectively, common means for initiating the operations of said feeding mechanism, and means for automatically controlling the operation of said feed mechanisms to cause feed mechanism to operate alternately so that when the writing strip is fed a predetermined extent, its advancement will cease and the display band has been advanced a predetermined extent its advancement will cease and the writing strip will begin to advance.

18. The invention according to claim 1, having independent feed mechanism for advancing the writing strip and display band respectively, common means for initiating the operations of said feeding mechanism, and means for automatically controlling the operation of said feed mechanisms to cause feed mechanism to operate alternately so that when the writing strip is fed a predetermined extent, its advancement will cease and the display band has been advanced a predetermined extent its advancement will cease and r the writing strip will begin to advance and also separate means for initiating the operation of the feeding mechanism for the display band and means responsive to alterations of the display band for rendering said separate initiating means inoperative to cause the advancement of the display band when the latter has been brought to a predetermined position relative to the platen.

19. The invention according to claim 1, having independent feed mechanism for advancing the writing strip and display band respectively, common means for initiating the operations of said feeding mechanism, and means for automatically controlling the operation of said feed mechanisms to cause feed mechanism to operate alternately so that when the writing strip is fed a predetermined extent, its advancement will cease and the display band has been advanced a predetermined extent its advancement will cease and the writing strip will begin to advance, said automatic control means including two controllers, one associated with each feeding mechanism and each controller rendering its own feeding mechanism inoperative at predetermined points in the cycle of operation.

20. The invention according to claim 1, having independent feed mechanism for advancing the writing strip and display band respectively, common means for initiating the operations of said feeding mechanism, and means for automatically controlling the operation of said feed mechanisms to cause feed mechanism to operate alternately so that when the writing strip is fed a predetermined extent, its advancement will cease and the display band has been advanced a predetermined extent its advancement will cease and the writing strip will begin to advance, said automatic control means including two controllers, one associated with each feeding mechanism and each controller rendering its own feeding mechanism inoperative at predetermined points in the cycle of operation, and means. controlled by the position of one controller for causing the other feeding mechanism to resume operation.

21. The invention as defined in claim 1, in which there is means responsive to electrical impulses for advancing the writing strip and the display band.

22. The invention as defined in claim 1, in which there are provided separate and independently operative mechanisms responsive to electrical impulses for advancing the display band and writing strip, and a switch periodically actuated by advance of the display band for rendering inoperative the mechanism for advancing the writing strip during advance of the display band.

23. The invention as defined in claim 1, in which there are provided independently operative mechanisms responsive to electrical impulses for advancing the display band and writing strip, and means responsive to predetermined groups of impulses for periodically rendering inoperative the mechanism for advancing the writing strip. ARTHUR A. JOHNSON. 

